Holy Assumption Church on Sennaya Square

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Religious Architecture (see also Religion.Church)
Categories / Religion. Church/Places of Worship (see also Architecture and Urban Planning)
HOLY ASSUMPTION CHURCH ON SENNAYA SQUARE, (common name - Saviour Church on Sennaya Square). The first wooden church, Procession of Holy Cross, was moved to Sennaya Square from Vyborgskaya Side in 1753. At the same time the foundation of the stone Holy Assumption Church was laid not far from it (ascribed to the architect F. Rastrelli), which was called the Saviour Church by tradition. The Baroque building with five domes and a graceful belfry was constructed in 1753-61, on the land of tax-farmer S. Y. Yakovlev, who paid for the construction and transferred his parents' remains from Sampsonievskoe cemetery to the church crypt. The icons of the iconostasis were made by M. L. Kolokolnikov. In 1816-18, architect L. Rusca redesigned the belfry and the interiors. In 1822, the south side-altar (architect A. I. Melnikov) and in 1835 the north side-altar (architect P. F. Votsky) were consecrated. Concurrently, the vaults were painted by S. A. Bessonov. In 1867-70, the domes and the top of the belfry were remodelled, their wooden structures were replaced with brick elements (architect G. I. Karpov). In 1897-98, concrete vestibules were attached (architect V. V. Windelbrandt); and in 1902-03, the lateral naves were extended (architect I. I. Yakovlev). The church, dominating the surrounding architecture, played an important role in town planning. The Holy Assumption Church treasured the revered Icon of Assumption of the Virgin Mary (18th century), held in a richly decorated frame. From 1873, the church oversaw a charitable society with a hospice and an orphanage school. In 1923, the Holy Assumption Church became a cathedral. In 1938, the church was closed down and turned into a storehouse. In January 1961, the Holy Assumption Church was demolished to free space for Ploshchad Mira metro station (today - Sennaya Ploshchad metro station). In 1995, the designs for the reconstruction of Sennaya Square were approved, which envisioned rebuilding the church. In 2003, a memorial chapel was consecrated on the spot where the altar of the Holy Assumption Church had once stood.

References: Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994. Т. 1. С. 242-245; Попов И. В. Храм Успения Пресвятой Богородицы на Сенной площади (Спас-на-Сенной) // С.-Петерб. епарх. ведомости. [2003]. Вып. 30/31. С. 186-192.

V. V. Antonov. Bezsonov Stepan Artemievich
Karpov Grigory Ivanovich
Kolokolnikov Mina Lukich
Melnikov Avraam Ivanovich
Rastrelli Bartolomeo Carlo de
Rusca Luigi (Aloisy Ivanovich)
Votsky P.F.
Windelbrandt Vasily Vasilievich
Yakovlev Ivan Ivanovich
Yakovlev (Sobakin) Savva Yakovlevich
Sennaya Square/Saint Petersburg, city
Выборгская сторона
Антонов В. В., Кобак А. В. Святыни Санкт-Петербурга: Ист.-церков. энцикл. СПб., 1994
Попов И. В. Храм Успения Пресвятой Богородицы на Сенной площади (Спас-на-Сенной) // С.-Петерб. епарх. ведомости, [2003] Baroque
1753
1961